My last International Nurses Day 2023

 

It’s International Nurses Day, 2023

It is a sudden watershed for me. Since December last year I have not been in a nursing role, as I now work part time as a Freedom To Speak Up Guardian. A role that is not without challenges it has its positives too. It often feels like I’m nursing the Acute trust I work in.

This piece is more about me and Nursing. It started in the late 1970’s when I had tried different kinds of work, (shops and offices) and needed to find something I thought I could stick at. The initial enquiry about nursing arose form a suggestion by a lady called Eileen I worked with in a catering job. By the time commuting to an office at the BBC[1] began to pall, I applied for a training place and was given an interview. Accepted, by both parties my training started in 1978. My learning has not stopped since.

Early on I recognised the Nursing was a ‘home’ for me, and that I might be able to stick at it in the long term. Working with those near the end of their lives appealed and that was the focus of my career for the last 30 or so years of it, in hospitals and hospices.

I’ve met all sorts of interesting people, in a variety of places, from Richmond House to Kemerovo in Siberia and South Africa. And even now it’s a joy to meet new people and later today I’ll be meeting student nurses to tell them about Freedom To Speak Up.

I have decided though that I will not renew my registration as a Registered nurse when it is due for renewal next. Nursing has been a great place to be and is something I remain interested in. With other calls on my time, I want to be able to give attention to family and friends as well as myself.

I pass on to anyone new to anyone new to nursing the one thing I have learnt over my career is to look after oneself. Physical – your feet and back, mentally – recognising depression for example, and spiritually keeping eyes open to opportunities for joy.

Enjoy IND 2023 and give thanks for those who have nursed before us, trained us, developed us and who are going into nursing now.

[1] With Eurovision fever high at present, whilst at the BBC I got to bump into ABBA in the door at Broadcasting House whilst at the height of their fame.

D51 #100WorkingDays what’s at Willen?

 My interest in palliative and end of care had continued since training days. So it was great to see Milton Keynes had its own hospice, that opened in 1981. Our pre-opening visit there enabled our team to understand what was being done there. Built around a listed farm house the  founders had seen, they raised the money to start. It confirmed to me that there would be a place to begin my learning more about hospice based care. 

At that time the local lanes hadn’t all been closed. One close to the hospice was turned into a Redway, the name given to the pedestrian and cycle paths in MK because of the red tarmac used on them. Once closed the area became quieter in terms of through traffic though now lots of pedestrians and cyclists would pass as they travelled around the neighbouring lake. The lakes at Willen had two characters. The southern lake became a water sports area. The northern lake, with the hospice at the north end became a wild fowl reserve with an island. This gave the hospice a calming setting, and great views. 

They had a few beds and a day centre, and were looking to expand in time. There was also a community team of nurse specialists. I made a mental note that this would in time be a place to work. Having just moved to MK I thought it best to wait a while and enjoy the experience of opening the hospital. 

The house of Manor Farm that became Willen Hospice 

D29 #100WorkingDays A little trouble

On top of my career dilemma I’d needed a little time in hospital for a small procedure that required a general anaesthetic. A couple of nights in were required in the end as it took a good while for me to wake up enough to know where I was. And yet, despite covering for a coworker in the Delicatessen who been in hospital, and completing the project work on hospital catering I’d not yet settled on pursuing a nursing career.

A few years earlier my dad had the cataract he developed in one eye removed and a lens implanted. He needed to spend some days lying in bed afterwards. Visiting was limited in those days. Indeed as a baby I’d had to spend a few days in hospital and parents were allowed a hour to visit. So glad that in the end changes were made to that. 

And prior to this was our family GP. He was a single handed practice, from Northern Ireland with a matching accent. The surgery hand strange smells, cigarettes, a whiff of surgical spirit, and possibly on occasion another spirit. He was at the beck and call of his patients. And going to see him meant venturing into the waiting room and taking your turn. That said the wait never seemed to be that long. And there was a level of knowing our history that made his care seem personal. And all this was on an NHS that wasn’t quite 10 years old when I was born.

D28 #100WorkingDays Changing course

 A new direction was needed as I metaphorically started to pick up my bags and leave the bank and possibly catering. Having resigned there were discussions with my bank colleagues. A number of options were presented. I can’t remember them all. One colleague was called Eileen and to my surprise she suggested nursing as a possibility.

Eileen thought I’d make a good nurse. I was bemused but added it to my list. I had to maintain some income and as it happened my delicatessen colleagues needed someone to help out. One of the quartet who worked there needed a spell in hospital so they offered me a job to cover while I sorted what I wanted to do. They set me up to be paid properly too, and generously let me have time off for interviews as needed. At this time, there seems to be lots of options for me to consider. Perhaps office work might be a better bet?